Guru’s Jazzmatazz: It’s time to Mellow and Lounge…after a 24-hour ride on the American Political Rollercoaster

Yesterday was a tense and frustrating day in the United States. Actually, it was more like cra-cra-crazy! The morning awoke the country to the news that the The Supreme Court voided a central part of the Voting Rights Act, a law put in place during the Civil Rights movement to prevent historically racist states from creating obstacles to voting.

Are you freaking kidding me? The United States is still a highly racist country. Even with the now-former law in place, there are blatant and gross violations of voting rights all over the country in every election, including the 2012 Presidential election.

Here is a clear-cut example:

During President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union Address, our Senate invited Desiline Victor, a 102-year-old African-American woman from Miami, who was forced to wait in line for HOURS because of devious and underhanded Republican lawmakers from all over the country, who created voting booth nightmares for minorities and the working-class — people who historically vote Democrat. Yet, seven months after widespread and acknowledged voting rights violations, the Supreme Court removes protections for voting rights?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Across the country, in the state of Texas, Senator Wendy Davis STOOD UP for a herculean, one-woman, 11-hour filibuster (no food, no pausing, no bathroom breaks, no sitting, no leaning) that — for the moment — stopped the GOP’s draconian anti-woman bill that would prevent women from governing their own bodies and from making their own family planning choices based on their health or individual life circumstances.

The Twitterverse is on Fire for Wendy

The most popular GLOBAL hashtag on Twitter yesterday was #standwithwendy, so that goes to show you that most of the modern world is, thankfully, not aligned with the unevolved, Stanley-Kowalski-caveman-grunting mentality of The [not so] Grand Ole Party. Amen!

The Supreme Court Rules

In the midst of the madness was the pins-and-needles waiting-game for a Supreme Court decision on Proposition 8 (California’s ban on same-sex marriage) and The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that did not recognize same-sex couples, denying them access to insurance benefits, social security survivors benefits, immigration and filing joint tax returns.

The court handed down two rulings:

The court dismissed the Prop 8 appeal, paving the way for same-sex marriages to continue in California.

On DOMA, the court ruled that legally married same-sex couples are now entitled to the same federal benefits as married, opposite sex couples.

It’s bittersweet, though. As it stands, the Supreme Court giveths on Prop 8 and DOMA, as it taketh away on the Voting Rights Act.

The Daily Edge wrapped it up in a nutshell: “Imagine if we gave gays, women and minorities equal protection, reproductive freedom & voting rights all at the same time. #wouldbeincredible “

Time to Chill

When civil and human rights are being attacked all in one day, it can create some serious unease. Today, some deep breathing is in order and it’s time for some “Loungin'”.

An Iconic Album and Artist

Enjoy the relaxing Acid Jazz sounds of Guru from his iconic 1993 album “Jazzmatazz” while I go get a drink.